EP3502301A1 - Coating for a component, component with a coating and method of applying a coating to a component - Google Patents
Coating for a component, component with a coating and method of applying a coating to a component Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3502301A1 EP3502301A1 EP17209215.7A EP17209215A EP3502301A1 EP 3502301 A1 EP3502301 A1 EP 3502301A1 EP 17209215 A EP17209215 A EP 17209215A EP 3502301 A1 EP3502301 A1 EP 3502301A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- coating
- component
- magnesium
- aluminium
- tin
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
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Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D7/00—Electroplating characterised by the article coated
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
- C23C14/06—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the coating material
- C23C14/14—Metallic material, boron or silicon
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C2/00—Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor
- C23C2/04—Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor characterised by the coating material
- C23C2/08—Tin or alloys based thereon
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C30/00—Coating with metallic material characterised only by the composition of the metallic material, i.e. not characterised by the coating process
Abstract
Description
- The invention relates to a coating for a component, in particular an electrical component, wherein the coating comprises tin. Further, the invention relates to a component with a coating. Moreover, the invention relates to a method of applying a coating to a component.
- Components such as electrical components are often covered with a layer that comprises tin (Sn) for various reasons. However, tin tends to form long, needle-shaped elements protruding from the surface due, for example, to internal pressure in the coating or externally applied pressure, for example if the coating is in contact with a counter-element. Previously, lead (Pb) was added to avoid the growth of these so-called whiskers. However, due to recent regulations, the use of lead has to be reduced or avoided completely.
- The object of the invention is thus to provide a solution that reduces or avoids the use of lead while providing a coating with a reduced whisker growth or with no whisker growth at all.
- According to the invention, this is achieved if the coating comprises aluminium and/or magnesium.
- A component according to the invention, in particular an electrical component such as a contact element, is coated with a coating according to the invention.
- In a method of applying a coating to a component, aluminium and/or magnesium are used in the coating. Thus, the application also covers the use of magnesium and/or aluminium in a coating comprising tin for avoiding or reducing whisker growth.
- It has been found that these two elements help to reduce or avoid the growth of whiskers in coatings comprising tin.
- The inventive solution can be improved by the following further improvements and advantageous embodiments, which are advantageous on their own and can be combined arbitrarily as desired.
- In an advantageous development, the coating is lead-free. Such a lead-free coating is environmentally friendly.
- In a solution that is easy to implement while maintaining the advantageous reduction or avoidance of whisker growth, no further components except for unavoidable impurities are present in the coating. If only one of aluminium or magnesium is used, the coating can comprise only two components, namely tin and aluminium or magnesium.
- In order to lower the use of possibly expensive materials, the coating can comprise less than 10 at. % aluminium and/or magnesium. The term at. % refers to atomic percent, meaning that a certain number of atoms out of 100 atoms of the coating is of the respective element.
- Preferably, magnesium and/or aluminium make up less than 5 at. %, especially less than 3 at. % of the coating in order to keep production costs low.
- In an advantageous embodiment, the thickness of the coating layer is between 10 and 1000 nm. Such a thickness can offer a good compromise between the desired functionality and the amount of material that is used for the coating. Preferably, the thickness of the coating layer is between 100 and 500 nm.
- Preferably, the coating is applied by physical vapour deposition, in particular by sputter deposition. With this method, the mixing of tin and magnesium and/or aluminium can be achieved easily, for example by simultaneously evaporating the elements.
- In an alternative embodiment, the coating can be applied by hot dip plating. Such an approach may be easier to implement. For example, tin and magnesium and/or aluminium can be melted together and the component can then be dipped into the liquid phase.
- In a further embodiment, the coating can be applied by electrodeposition. Such an embodiment can, for example, be applied if hot dip plating is not possible due to the use of heat-sensitive materials or if physical vapour deposition is too slow. However, due to the nature of magnesium and aluminium, electroplating might not be a reliable option, especially when codepositing it with tin, unless special measures are taken to enable this.
- In the following, the inventive solutions will be explained in more detail and with reference to the drawings. The features shown in the further developments and advantageous embodiments can be combined as desired and are advantageous on their own.
- In the figures:
-
Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-section through a component with a coating layer; and -
Fig. 2 shows a schematic top view of a component with a coating layer. - In
Fig. 1 , a cross-section through thecomponent 2 with acoating layer 30 made of acoating 1 is shown. Thecomponent 2 can, for example, be an electrical component such as a contact element. Thecomponent 2 can also be another type of component with acoating layer 30. - The
coating layer 30 can serve to protect thecomponent 2 from contact with aggressive substances, for example with moisture or oxygen from the atmosphere. Thecoating layer 30 can thus serve as a corrosion protection layer. - The
coating 1 comprisestin 10. Due to internal pressures or due to the forces that are applied, for example, if the component is used together with other components, hair-like or needle-like structures would grow in anoutwards direction 50 out of thelayer coating layer 30 if pure tin is used. These so-called whiskers can lead to undesired contact with other components. To avoid this, previous solutions have added lead to thecoating 1. This leads to a significant reduction or total absence of whisker growth. However, the use of lead has recently been restricted. Therefore, a need for a solution that reduces or avoids whisker growth exists. - The
coating 1 also comprisesaluminium 11 and/ormagnesium 12. This helps to avoid or at least reduce the growth of whiskers. The amount ofaluminium 11 and/ormagnesium 12 that is necessary for achieving this effect may be very low. For example, thecoating 1 may contain less then 10 at. % of these elements. Even lower concentrations can be sufficient for achieving the effect, for example less than 5 at. % and especially less than 3 at. %. Using low concentrations can help to reduce costs, as these additives can be expensive. However, concentrations higher than 10 at. % can also be present. - Preferably, no further components are present in the
coating 1, apart from unavoidable impurities. This helps to keep the production process simple. - In particular, no lead can be present so that the
coating 1 is lead-free. - A
thickness 20 of thecoating layer 30 is preferably between 10 and 1000 nm. The thinner thecoating layer 30, the less material has to be used and the simpler the production process is. However, a certain thickness is needed in order for thecoating layer 30 to fulfill the desired function. Preferably, thethickness 20 is between 100 and 500 nm. - The
coating layer 30 can be produced by different methods. It can, for example, be produced by physical vapour deposition and, in particular, by sputtering. In this method, the material of thefuture coating layer 30 is evaporated and the as yet uncoveredcomponent 2 is located in the vicinity of the vapour source. The vapour than covers thecomponent 2 and produces thecoating layer 30. To achieve a mixture of two or three components, two or three sources can be used and operated simultaneously. - In an alternative approach, the
coating layer 30 can be produced by hot dip plating. In this method, the as yet uncoveredcomponent 2 is dipped into a liquid of the coating material. - In a further approach, the
coating 30 is produced by electroplating the materials onto the uncoveredcomponent 2. However, due to the nature ofmagnesium 12 andaluminium 11, electroplating might not be a reliable option, especially when codepositing it withtin 10, unless special measures are taken to enable this. - In
Fig. 2 , a top view of acomponent 2 is shown. It can be seen that thecoating 1 can be applied only on a part of thecomponent 2. For example, only a contact area 60 in which thecomponent 2 comes in contact with a counter-element, for example a counter-connection element, can be covered. -
- 1
- coating
- 2
- component
- 10
- tin
- 11
- aluminium
- 12
- magnesium
- 20
- thickness
- 30
- coating layer
- 50
- outwards direction
- 60
- contact area
Claims (11)
- Coating (1) for a component (2), in particular an electrical component, wherein the coating comprises tin (10), characterized in that the coating comprises aluminium (11) and/or magnesium (12).
- Coating (1) according to claim 1, wherein the coating (1) is lead-free.
- Coating (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein except for unavoidable impurities no further components are present in the coating (1).
- Coating (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the coating (1) comprises less than 10 at. % aluminium (11) and/or magnesium (12).
- Component (2), in particular an electrical component, such as a contact element, coated with a coating layer (30) of the coating (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4.
- Component (2) according to claim 5, wherein a thickness (20) of the coating layer (30) is between 10 and 1000 nm.
- Method of applying a coating (1) to a component (2), wherein tin is used in the coating (1), characterized in that aluminium (11) and/or magnesium (12) are used in the coating (1).
- Method according to claim 7, wherein the coating (1) is applied by physical vapour deposition, in particular by sputter deposition.
- Method according to one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the coating (1) is applied by hot dip plating.
- Method according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the coating (1) is applied by electrodeposition.
- Use of aluminium (11) and/or magnesium (12) in a coating (1) comprising tin (10) for avoiding or reducing whisker growth.
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP17209215.7A EP3502301A1 (en) | 2017-12-21 | 2017-12-21 | Coating for a component, component with a coating and method of applying a coating to a component |
PCT/EP2018/086002 WO2019122026A1 (en) | 2017-12-21 | 2018-12-19 | Coating for a component, component with a coating and method of applying a coating to a component |
DE112018006548.0T DE112018006548T5 (en) | 2017-12-21 | 2018-12-19 | Coating for a component, component with a coating and a method for applying a coating to a component |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP17209215.7A EP3502301A1 (en) | 2017-12-21 | 2017-12-21 | Coating for a component, component with a coating and method of applying a coating to a component |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3502301A1 true EP3502301A1 (en) | 2019-06-26 |
Family
ID=60953584
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP17209215.7A Pending EP3502301A1 (en) | 2017-12-21 | 2017-12-21 | Coating for a component, component with a coating and method of applying a coating to a component |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP3502301A1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE112018006548T5 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2019122026A1 (en) |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPH03264661A (en) * | 1990-03-15 | 1991-11-25 | Ricoh Co Ltd | Thin film comprising tin-magnesium alloy or its oxide, and production thereof |
US6080497A (en) * | 1992-03-27 | 2000-06-27 | The Louis Berkman Company | Corrosion-resistant coated copper metal and method for making the same |
JP2002146505A (en) * | 2000-11-13 | 2002-05-22 | Nippon Steel Corp | Hot dip tin-magnesium based plated steel sheet |
KR20050089322A (en) * | 2004-03-04 | 2005-09-08 | 재단법인서울대학교산학협력재단 | Sn-al lead-free solder alloy composition and method to prepare the sn-al lead-free solder alloy |
EP2881207A2 (en) * | 2013-12-04 | 2015-06-10 | MK Electron Co., Ltd. | Lead-free solder, solder paste and semiconductor device |
-
2017
- 2017-12-21 EP EP17209215.7A patent/EP3502301A1/en active Pending
-
2018
- 2018-12-19 DE DE112018006548.0T patent/DE112018006548T5/en active Pending
- 2018-12-19 WO PCT/EP2018/086002 patent/WO2019122026A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPH03264661A (en) * | 1990-03-15 | 1991-11-25 | Ricoh Co Ltd | Thin film comprising tin-magnesium alloy or its oxide, and production thereof |
US6080497A (en) * | 1992-03-27 | 2000-06-27 | The Louis Berkman Company | Corrosion-resistant coated copper metal and method for making the same |
JP2002146505A (en) * | 2000-11-13 | 2002-05-22 | Nippon Steel Corp | Hot dip tin-magnesium based plated steel sheet |
KR20050089322A (en) * | 2004-03-04 | 2005-09-08 | 재단법인서울대학교산학협력재단 | Sn-al lead-free solder alloy composition and method to prepare the sn-al lead-free solder alloy |
EP2881207A2 (en) * | 2013-12-04 | 2015-06-10 | MK Electron Co., Ltd. | Lead-free solder, solder paste and semiconductor device |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
KIM SANG HOON ET AL: "Oxidation resistant effects of Ag2S in Sn-Ag-Al solder: A mechanism for higher electrical conductivity and less whisker growth", CORROSION SCIENCE, OXFORD, GB, vol. 105, 29 December 2015 (2015-12-29), pages 25 - 35, XP029434961, ISSN: 0010-938X, DOI: 10.1016/J.CORSCI.2015.12.021 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2019122026A1 (en) | 2019-06-27 |
DE112018006548T5 (en) | 2020-09-03 |
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